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Ukraine’s Kursk Invasion, New US Sanctions for Venezuela, and the Philippine-Chinese Confrontation

On this episode of American Prestige, headlines from around the globe.

Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner

August 23, 2024

Ukrainian forces operating in Russia’s Kursk Region have destroyed a second key bridge as they attempt to push further into Russia.(Ed Ram / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Ukraine Kursk Invasion, New US Sanctions for Venezuela, and Philippine-Chinese Confrontation | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

On this week's American Prestige news roundup: in Russia-Ukraine, an update on Ukraine’s Kursk invasion (0:29), reports of cancelled peace talks (3:57), and a continued Russian advance in Donbas (6:32); in Palestine-Israel, an update on Gaza ceasefire talks (9:34), the IDF is moving into the last Gaza “safe zones” (15:14), an Israeli strike kills a Fatah commander in Lebanon (17:04), and the status of the long-anticipated Iranian retaliation (18:52); Afghanistan sends its ambassador the to United Arab Emirates (20:43); a new Philippine-Chinese confrontation in the South China Sea (22:29); failed ceasefire talks in Sudan plus a cholera outbreak (24:39); troubles for the Central Bank of Libya suggest a further deteriorating political situation (26:56); and the Biden administration prepares new sanctions for Venezuela (29:58).

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On this week’s American Prestige news roundup: Ukraine’s Kursk invasion (0:29), reports of canceled peace talks (3:57), and Russia’s advance in Donbas (6:32); in Palestine-Israel, Gaza ceasefire talks (9:34), the IDF’s move into the last Gaza “safe zones” (15:14), the killing of a Fatah commander in Lebanon by an Israeli air strike (17:04), and the status of the long-anticipated Iranian retaliation (18:52); Afghanistan’s ambassador’s mission to the United Arab Emirates (20:43); a new Philippine-Chinese confrontation in the South China Sea (22:29); failed ceasefire talks in Sudan, amid a cholera outbreak (24:39); hints of a further-deteriorating political situation in the troubles of the Central Bank of Libya (26:56); and the Biden administration’s preparation of new sanctions for Venezuela (29:58).

The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Iran and the End of Restraint w/ Trita Parsi and Akbar Shahid Ahmed | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Danny and Derek are back with a two-part episode on the war with Iran. First, they speak with Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute about the Trump administration’s decision to go to war, the belief that assassinating Ayatollah Khamenei would cause the regime to implode, the structure and failure of pre-war negotiations, the influence of Israeli officials and hawks, the potential for sending in ground troops, and the impact on Iranian society. They then speak with Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent at HuffPost, about the erosion of rules of engagement, the alignment of U.S. and Israeli military strategy, congressional inaction, compliant allies, and whether any realistic off-ramps remain.

Read Akbar’s piece “Trump Says He Brought 'Justice' To Iran. His War Boosts Fears The U.S. Has Gone Rogue.”

Keep up with Quincy’s work at Responsible Statecraft and Always at War.

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Derek DavisonDerek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.


Daniel BessnerTwitterDaniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.


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